Zambia COVID-19 cases continues grow, as 1,164 news cases are reported

The country has in the last 24 hours recorded 1,164 new confirmed cases out of 10,678 tests conducted bringing the cumulative number of confirmed cases recorded to date to 99,540, Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary for Technical Services Kennedy Malama has announced.

Dr. Malama expressed concern with the evolution of the country’s epidemiological picture with the number of daily new cases increasing from under 100, 500 to over 1000.

In a statement issued to ZANIS in Lusaka, Dr. Malama gave a breakdown of the new cases by province which included 99 form Central province, Copperbelt 113, Eastern 114, Luapula 17, Lusaka 488, Muchinga 7, Northern 12, North-western 18, Southern 96 and Western province with 200.

The Permanent Secretary disclosed that six new deaths in the last 24 hours were recorded of which three in Lusaka, one Central, one in Northern provinces, while Western province also recorded one death.

Dr. Malama noted that the cumulative number of COVID-19 related deaths recorded to date now stands at 1,303 of which 737 were classified as COVID deaths and 566 COVID-19 associated deaths.

The Permanent Secretary added that 522 discharges were made from both the COVID-19 isolation facilities and home management around the country, bringing the cumulative number of recoveries to 93,036.

Dr. Malama also stated that there are currently 5,201 active cases, of whom 4,986 (96%) are under community management and 215 are admitted in the COVID-19 isolation facilities.

“In the last 24 hours, we saw 50 new admissions. Among those currently under admission, 159 (74%) are on Oxygen therapy and 19 (9%) are in critical condition. Fellow countrymen and women, the number of cases that we have recorded this week alone are indeed worrisome,” Dr. Malama listed.

The Permanent Secretary said government’ focus remains in ensuring the preparedness of the frontline, particularly in terms of increased hospital capacity for the increasing admissions, as well as surge staff capacity and commodities security.

ZANIS reports that Dr Malama also disclosed that the new Lusaka Specialized Hospital was operational adding an extra 160 beds to the response.

“We had projected that the third wave would hit us around this time, learning from what was happening globally and on the continent. We remain committed to ensure that all the pillars in our response continue to be strengthened,” the Permanent secretary indicated.

Following the donation of 100,000 doses of Sinopharm by China, Dr. Malama disclosed that government is in discussions to finalize the arrangements for the transportation and other logistics required to bring the vaccine into the country.

As the fight against COVID-19 continues, the Permanent Secretary assured that the Ministry of Health has not lost sight of other public health threats, particularly Cholera.

He noted that the government has made tremendous progress in vaccinating the cholera hotspots around the country.

“We are currently carrying out the cholera vaccination in the Lukanga swamps and thereafter, we will carry out the vaccination campaign in hotspots in Kapiri-Mposhi and finally Lusaka,” he added.

A total of 15,119 new COVID-19 cases and 275 deaths were recorded in Africa. Of these, 37% of cases and 24% of deaths were from South Africa. Tunisia and Uganda also recorded high numbers of cases, whereas amongst Zambia’s neighbours Namibia, Botswana and the Democratic Republic of Congo have also seen an increase in their numbers.